1. Field of the Invention
The present invention related to electrical connectors and more particularly, to a modular jack connector providing connection with plug connectors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Modular jacks are often used in computers to interconnect the computers with electronic peripheral equipments. As multi-function trend becomes more popular in computer industry, while spaces on printed circuit boards (PCBs) of the computers are limited, stacked modular jacks have been widely adopted in electrical connectors. U.S. Pat. No. 6,655,988 B1, assigned to Tyco Electronics Corporation, discloses a modular jack assembly comprising an insulative housing defining a plurality of through-cavities in side-by-side fashion as two rows. Each cavity forms a partition therein dividing the cavity into a plug receiving space and a subassembly receiving space, respectively. Each plug receiving space is configured for receiving a mating plug and includes a pair of generally right-angle shaped tabs as performance of plug latch feature at a front face of the housing. Each subassembly receiving space is configured for receiving a subassembly to which a plurality of receptacle contacts are assembled, wherein each contact includes a contact engaging portion. Each partition includes comb-like contact aligning mechanism rendering the contact engaging portions of the receptacle contacts extending therethrough to electrically connect with corresponding plug contacts of the mating plug, thereby forming an electrical connection between the mating plug and the modular jack assembly.
Since there is inherent amount of clearance that is designed between the mating plug and corresponding cavity of the housing, when an external force, such as pulling or rotating, is exerted on plug cable connected with the mating plug, the mating plug tilts and angles itself within the plug receiving space. As the mating plug tilts, the receptacle contacts are pushed to one side by the plug contacts of the mating plug. However, the comb-like contact aligning mechanism of the cavity does not have enough space to allow the receptacle contacts to accept a side force and still retain its interface with the plug contacts. That is to say, the receptacle contacts lose free motion up and down to follow the plug contacts position such that it can interfere with ongoing process and interrupt data transfer, therefore the receptacle contacts disconnecting from the plug contacts causing discontinuity. More, as the mating plug tilts, resistive force is transferred to the plug retention tabs of the housing. Since the pairs of right-angle shaped tabs of the housing are inclined to stress concentration and are small, the strength of the tabs serving as a plug latch feature of the housing has become a concern.
Hence, an improved modular jack connector is needed to eliminate the above mentioned defects of conventional modular jack assemblies.